Sign da thing

By Walter Broeckx

Of course the articles on Untold Arsenal are what keeps this site interesting. Various articles about all aspects of football. And we always have been supportive for our players and of course for our manager. We don’t abuse our own players and certainly not our manager. We just wish them well and support them whenever they are out there.

But not just the articles make Untold interesting. A big part of what keeps this site high up in the rankings of football blogs is the input from the readers in the comment section.

We have the odd person passing by and telling us what a bunch of idiots we are. But I think that what makes us special is that the very big majority of people who write a comment are blessed with some common sense and a good working brain. And then we have the fact that we have a few specialists in bringing some laughter to the site from time to time.

One of our readers said this and I quote from his comment: ‘I see David Dein has been quoted as being angry with Arsenal ‘supporters’ for their treatment of Wenger over the last year or so. I think Wenger is unhappy himself at some of the treatment he has received, and that is weighing heavily over his decision to not discuss a new contract. Normally he would have done so by now. The AST have a lot to answer for IMO when they called for him not to be offered a new contract. I think this is very worrying indeed.’

And I must say that this is indeed a worrying thought. My dislike for the name Dein has more to do with his son who sold a few top players away from Arsenal. I have always admitted that David Dein has done great things for Arsenal.

But he also has made some mistakes. Wanting us to move to Wembley. Bringing some people to the club in the last decade that have resulted in the shares now being owned by two people and the rest are of no matter at all.

But we all know (well Untolders do of course) that whatever bad blood ran between David Dein and the board it was always a fact that David Dein stood behind Wenger. A fact that is often ignored by the Wenger out brigade when they called for the return of Dein.

In fact both big shareholders Kroenke and Usmanov have always said that Wenger is the right man for the job at Arsenal. Even Usmanov has never said that Wenger should be sacked. Another fact ignored by the Wenger out brigade who called for Usmanov taking over at Arsenal.

Now I must say that I also read the question asked of Wenger about the contract situation. And I expected him to say that they would talk. But Wenger saying he didn’t want to discuss it now was something I didn’t like to read. And as the person above wrote could this be down to the way the AAA (just to give them a name) has been treating Wenger over the last seasons?

Let us be clear about it. Nobody wants to receive criticism. And certainly not unfounded criticism. Most people don’t mind been given advice and tips. And they can accept criticism that is given by people who know what they are talking about. And I don’t count journalists, pundits, reporters to that category.

But what Wenger has been facing over the last years went further than criticism. It was vile abuse. People wishing him to die, get terrible diseases etc. We have tried to filter out the most vile abuse at Untold. Sometimes they slip through our fingers when there lots of comments but I can assure you that behind the scenes when we read such things we trash them. Other websites don’t filter such things, in fact they orchestrate them and people support each other in their hate-fest against Wenger.

It is there on the internet if you want to see it. And the way some ‘supporters’ groups have acted was bad. As our reader said in his comment the AST has been doing some dodgy underground work when it comes to undermining the trust in Wenger.

Has all this affected Wenger? Is he having enough of all this hate towards his person? I must admit that if I were Wenger I would have thrown the towel a while ago. I think it must have been slowly killing him to be abused while he was doing miracles with the smallest transfer budget in his hands of all the managers in the PL.

I think the hardest thing to accept is unfair criticism or abuse. We could see it even yesterday. The abuse from the Stoke fans towards Ramsey was one of the hardest things to take for Ramsey. His reaction after his goal showed it all. The smile on his face said more than a thousands words. Scoring, and in fact scoring right in front of the Ramsey booing Stoke fans must have been a dream come true. His finger on his lips reaction was a clear answer to those who have booed him for years now.

Have they forgotten it was Ramsey who was the victim? The delight also at the end of the game when Ramsey sunk to his knees showed what it meant for him to beat all that unjust abuse and booing.

And is that what has happened with Wenger? Just as Ramsey must have been sick from the vile abuse of Stoke fans, is Wenger having enough of the vile abuse form Arsenal fans? Can you blame him for this? If you look at the human side of things not of course. Each person has his breaking point and maybe he has reached it or is close to reaching his breaking point.

Now if that would be the case because of the abuse of some part of our own fans it is hard to accept. On Untold we have been supportive for Wenger since the start. We are not riding the waves of the last game win/lose/draw when it comes to supporting what in our opinion is the best manager Arsenal has ever had. And the manager who has laid the foundations for our club for maybe the next 10 – 20 -30 …years. And the board has made it clear in the recent months that they want to carry on with Wenger. So the problem is not coming from there.

He will go eventually as we all go. But seeing him go because of some idiots not being able to see the bigger picture and the longer plan and therefore abusing the man, is hard to take. What can Untold do about that? Our reader suggested something and I quote him again:

‘Now that the time is right, I think it would be a good idea for Untold Arsenal to launch a campaign to show support to Wenger, by doing a petition calling for the club to offer Wenger a new contract and for Wenger to stay. Surely the guy deserves a bit of respect after all he has done for us and now that we’re top of the league it’s the perfect time to get maximum number of signatures. You guys have links to the club so I’m sure that once a large amount of signatures have been reached you can make sure that it gets noticed by the right people.

Over to you Untold Arsenal. You’ve always been admirably supportive of Mr Wenger and what is right about football, I’m sure you wont let us down now.’

Well I don’t think we want to let you down. I think it is a great idea and I think we will do all we can to start something like that. Time to think out a plan: Keep Wenger at Arsenal. This was one suggestion and a great one (even though I don’t know how to organise such a thing).

So the comments are open to give your ideas and to work on this idea. Any tips and tricks are welcome. Maybe another campaign should be made under the title: “Sign da thing”

59 comments to Sign da thing

Walter, just google ‘how to start online petitions?’. You’ll find number of websites providing such services. Obviously you’ll have to select the right one. Or may be you can get some software brains to incorporate one such thing into the Untold.

The AST are a poisonous, unrepresentative group who continually undermine our club … yet they are forever in the media supposedly as the voice of Arsenal fans … last time I looked they had about 1000 members, now as we have about 40,000 season-ticket holders and how ever many millions of fans across the globe, the question is why ??? They are perfectly entitled to their opinions,but God forbid you challenge them, I have been pretty much told I am an idiot for daring to disagree with their views !!! You all have my total support in anything that will put them where they belong …. at the fringes of the Arsenal supporting world.

….aaaand so tired of the AST. I think it is sabotaged and undermined by other clubs who bought some shares to sabotage us, pretending to be arsenal fans but in truth just hurting the club.!… No seriously that’s what i would do if i would be the Spuds…

Wenger must stay! The great man has been working hard with limited resources. Now that it is time to reap he must be the one to reap first. I feel good when I see a smile on his lips after our last matches. And the guys-players- are playing for him. And financially the club is stable.How can he walk away. That letter from Arsenal Supporters must have turned his heart from the club he loves.

When you make a commitment to a relationship, you invest your attention and energy in it more profoundly because you now experience ownership of that relationship.
-Barbara De Angelis

We must live for the few who know and appreciate us, who judge and absolve us, and for whom we have the same affection and indulgence. The rest I look upon as a mere crowd…from whom there is nothing to be expected but fleeting emotions.
-Sarah Bernhardt

Never give in! Never give in! Never, never, never. Never — in anything great or small, large or petty — never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense.
-Sir Winston Churchill

All great masters are chiefly distinguished by the power of adding a second, a third, and perhaps a fourth step in a continuous line. Many a man had taken the first step. With every additional step you enhance immensely the value of your first.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

When women hold off from marrying men, we call it independence. When men hold off from marrying women, we call it fear of commitment.
-Warren Farrell

The scholar does not consider gold and jade to be precious treasures, but loyalty and good faith.
CONFUCIUS

Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens.
J. R. R. TOLKIEN ( The Fellowship of the Ring)

The highest spiritual quality, the noblest property of mind a man can have, is this of loyalty … a man with no loyalty in him, with no sense of love or reverence or devotion due to something outside and above his poor daily life, with its pains and pleasures, profits and losses, is as evil a case as man can be.
ALGERNON CHARLES SWINBURNE,

Hope he signs and soon, but must confess, this issue worries me. PSG certainly seem to think they can get him next summer, their current manager was only given a 1 year contract.
Maybe Wenger is waiting to achieve his own criteria before signing? Maybe he is making us wait so some appreciate him more?
I still cannot believe he would be influenced by a rather silly AST letter (how stupid must the authors of that feel now?). Wenger would just glory in making the authors out as the fools they clearly are. I am sure he also knows he has the support of at least the majority of the fans, he certainly has the support of the players, Jack, worringly stating his loyalty could change without Wenger in place. Then the Dein comments. Do they know something?
So why would he leave? A new challenge? Dis-illusionment with the way the game is here? To return home to France? Or did board members lean a bit too heavily on him during the summer? Does he approve of our new economic reality and the pressures it brings?
Who knows.
What we do know is what he has done and what he does for the club to this day. One day, the truth will come out about our finances with the stadium move, the whole truth and Wenger will be seen for the miracle worker he really is. This truth is not in the public domain, but there are lots of stories out there about the way this was financed, and the toll it took on the club for a few years. Dont imagine it was all plain sailing and our financiers got everything right because they did not. What were the facts behind various bonds and options that financed that move? That £100m from the property – never appeared did it? Every wonder why the likes of PHW speak of Wenger as if he is some sort of deity – because he knows what Wenger was up against. Dein knows, so does Ivan.
Wenger must be kept as our manager at all costs, if he has decided on a new challenge, a sad day for us and a great day for our rivals

Naah. I don’t think Wenger will be affected by what is quite clearly an ill informed opinion. He’s laughed off chants about pedophilia. In fact, stood among a literally rabidly insane Manc crowd when Probert and Dean sent him there, and not let it bother, nor deter him. He could have easily ‘spent some money’ to ease the pressure on himself to shut up the chants. Wenger does what he thinks is right for the club, because he’s committed to the club. He’ll do what he thinks is right. The chants of fools, and the already disgraced AST (the club’s ex-chairman called them idiots-rightly so) aren’t going to sway Wenger, nor the club.

It was undoubtedly a transgress from the AST (whose charter apparently states that they are there to campaign for greater plurality in ownership, and not intrude in football matters. Wenger’s contract, the non signing of Julio Cesar etc etc are things they continue to whine about) and it’s annoying. I would agree with showing Wenger support. No need to feel sheepish about that. Wenger is a great manager, with or without the signing of Ozil. But I suspect that won’t sway him either. I’m not worried though. I think he’ll sign a 2 or 3 year extension.

Some relevant bits about a SIngapore based illegal gambling and match fixing ring being busted.

Interpol secretary general Ron Noble… “It is significant because this syndicate is considered the world’s largest and most aggressive match-fixing syndicate with tentacles reaching every continent and the mastermind was someone many believed was untouchable.”

“There isn’t a country or region that is immune from it,” Noble said.

“You are seeing more and more investigations being broken around the world and I believe what we are going to do is we are going to find out that other people talked about this syndicate being important, was important, we will be taking on other syndicates around the world.

“Syndicates that are doing business to the tune of $1 or 2 billion a year in terms of illegal betting and or match-fixing.”

“I believe that fighting match-fixing and corruption in sports is a lifelong battle and just because you don’t see it doesn’t mean it isn’t going on,” he said.

“It is the kind of crime that if you don’t investigate it all of the time it will just blow up in your face and it is never going to go away.”
———————————————————-

The last 2 paragraphs are something the people who attack the ref reviews and questioning of officials and those behind the scenes ought to keep in mind.

Hope you are right Shard. Just hope this wonderful bunch of players, with talent, drive, team spirit in abundance…that he has put together give him as much joy and pride as they do to many of us, and make it impossible for him to leave them.
but until he signs, I for one will always have a little worry in the back of my head

Shard,
I think Wenger can take all the abuse in the world from MU or Stoke fans and laughs it off. A bit like being an assistant ref and hearing the fans explain the rules (completely wrong of course) to the people around them and then I can’t help but smile about such things.

Look guys the AST are for all intensive purposes a negative influence on the club but every action has an equal and opposite reaction and from where I sit (which has always been on the fence attempting to rationalize why the events of the past 8 years without making any rash oppinions made out of frustration) they seem to be the reaction to the overly “blindly faithful” AKB crowd who swallowed any story line arsene and or the club fed us to keep us happy.

From where I sit (and what I hope to be true) is that they did lie to us many times over the years about title contendership, that they would sign players for the upcoming season and that diaby coming back will be like a new signing etc etc, it started to get a bit repetative and I must admit I was starting to give in to my doubts and my fears that it really was just the rich wanting to get richer and not giving a damn what the fans think, want and feel about the club.
But I’d always held hope in my heart that even though we where blatantly lied to in the past that it was because they very well knew it was going to take a long time before we’d have the money to compete, that they knew coming out at the beginning of the year and saying “we’ve got another 5 years before we stand a chance of competing with the big clubs and realistically our target is staying in the champions league spot so that we may compete another season later on but we’ll try our hardest with what we have” would be absolute financial suicide as far as revenue for the club is concerned and thanks to recent events this year I’ve let go a cautious yet midely optimistic sigh of relief that I have indeed been right all along.

I think the AST are just fans who are frustrated at the club who have lied to them in the past and find it hard to believe the words that come out of our beloved club (much like being cheated on by your partner once the trust is gone It’s almost impossible to get back) and now just want to start a new with a new manager or owner rather than trust someone who had already (seemingly) manipulated them before.

Whether or not arsene is capable of building a winning squad from scratch now that he has for the first time in over 8 years the financial backing and security to compete remains to be seen but if my interpretation of the events of the last decade are correct then I believe he deserves a season or two to proove that all was for the greater good of the club.

Top of the table til January please Arsene and maybe an addition or two for squad depth (because personally I really like the way our first 11 lines up as it is) and we’ll all be singing about his magic hat again 😀

Maybe you are correct in that it’s harder, but if it really bothered him that much, he would have spent money earlier, regardless of whether it was the right thing to do. But he didn’t. So, I am quietly confident that Wenger will do what he feels is right, both for the club and for him. Maybe those sort of chants will be a tiny factor, but I really don’t think it’ll sway him in his decision.

I’m not worried because even if he does decide to leave, it would be Wenger leaving on his own terms. Not being forced out. I can live with that. However, Arsenal should do whatever they can to get Wenger to stay longer, and right now, I think he will.

We have had the spectacle Di Canio criticising his players in public. I somehow can not imagine Arsene doing this. He has taken the flack from the media for a bad performance by player/s. What he said to the player/s we will never know and that is how it should be.

Arsene has a record that started long before he came to Arsenal of being a man of his word – a man of honour.

With regard to his future at Arsenal, Arsene has said he will do what he thinks is right for the club. We have every reason to believe him. So I have no time for speculation about his future. I hope he stays but if he does decide to leave I will respect his decision as being the right one for the club.

I hope and pray that in considering his future at Arsenal, Arsene, ignores the mantras of the AAA mobs demanding that he should go.

I believe it is possible for a player or manager to be influenced by demands of so called ‘fans’. Jack Charlton claimed he resigned from the Newcastle because of fans who made it known that they didn’t think he was good enough for Newcastle!

We are in a situation where the AAA spouters are not good enough for Arsenal or Arsene. It is they who should leave Arsenal not Arsene.

Just like they have been AAAs, lets be AAAA. Put up huge banners at the emirates supporting Wenger, chant his name, do something up there, if i could reach emirates i know i can make him sign by screaming with all my voice high……
Just like he was called deluded, cal the AST deluded all over the emirates, and that stupid peirs morgan whi said he didnt hear of gnabry before yesterday, what a fan and what a stupid one he is, and he think he knows better…..
Come on put a huge banner of in Wenger we trust,we are the majority so lets show it….

Have you guys read half your comments? try seeing someone else’s point and not just insist yours is the truth and therefore theirs must be wrong, they are arsenal fans too and they have just as much right to want what they think is best for the club as you do……. They have some valid points they make (they also have extremist that make them look angry and irrational) you AKB’s make some valid points (you also have extremists that make you look gullible and irrational) can’t you just take both oppinions into consideration and make a educated and rational conclusion of events without swinging wildly to left or wildly to the right? Do you really have to make it so black and white?

My father is an AST and my only Brother an AKB, I hear both points in full and see one very clear similarity THEY BOTH LOVE AND CARE ABOUT THE CLUB! I hate seeing us as arsenal fans turn on each other in such a distructive way it’s not healthy in any way at all. We’re top of the table people we’re looking good and if arsene is as smart as you AKB keep insisting he is (jury still out in my opinion but I still have faith he’ll proove he’s still La Prof) he’ll understand exactly why the AST where and are still so frustrated and angry about some events in the last 8 years.

We all fell in love with this club a long time ago and we ALL want it to do well, AKB’s need to stop acting as if to question your club or manager is to question a god and therefore you should be cast out shunned and support another club, I personally think It’s this holy-er than though attitude that drives a lot of fans to believe your delusional and (dare I say it) manipulated and thustly brings a questionable air to your judgement.

Anyway I’m in aus right now and it’s 4:30 am and I’m tired, i think our boys are on to something this season and really hope it brings our broken fanbase back together as one because to be honest I hate being Switzerland and I think you’ll find there guys that the real majority are like me sitting on the fence not wanting to get involved in this war of words.

Would it be possible to make somekind of e-petition then send it to Kelly Harris ( Wengers PA)?
I wrote to to pass on a positive letter to Arsene (we’re on first name terms, he calls me Ken) after the 1-3 loss to Villa to add a counter tone to the kind of Fwank Doberman “Oi Wenger no” poop that was viral after the game.
I did mention Untold in my mail to him and everything that everyone writes,supports and debates over here.

When your team that has so much to boast about goes on a 8 year dry spell all ya workmates ect really stick the boot in and some people deal with it better than others and some think they no better than AW.

People are just keyboard warriors and band waggon fools they dont really mean these things they are just voicing there frustration in that instant when in fact AW has done a sterling job over the last 8 and now we are beginning to reap the rewards, all the H8rs have done a U turn cos now we are getting our own back on the manu fans at last.

Football Banter is a big pit of frustration release so i would implure all the weak minded fans to remember not to take things to heart and get a grasp of the facts of a real football club business that is becoming a shining example in the modern english game and stand proud against foolish manu fans from london.

As much as I support Arsene Wenger in all he does for Arsenal FC, I think his decision not to consider a contract extension AT THIS TIME is the correct one.
At the end of the season and depending on the success or otherwise of the team, will be the right time to contemplate his future.
Unlike many Arsenal supporters, I do not regard the acquisition of silverware as the only measure of success. Qualification into the CL is vital and the playing of attractive and exciting football, admired world-wide, is more important in my opinion.
The winning of a trophy is merely a fleeting reward on a set occasion, soon to be forgotten.

I agree with Karl to quite some extent. When the club knew it was going through this phase it could have involved the fans, rather than make them feel like total outsiders. It is simply learning to take everyone along. To top that off they did quite a few times say top top signings like ozil now. But we WERE expecting ozil then, not saying we didn’t get excellent players then also.

@ Walter. Save your time and energy Walter, as any sort of petition to convince Mr Wenger to extend his contract isn’t necessary . He will sign a new deal at the end of the season when it might be more advantageous for him to do so. Fact is , Arsenal have become title contenders the moment Ferguson announced his retirement along with other regime changes at Chelsea and Man City. The board have already shown their cards by publicly stating unwavering support for Mr Wenger and willingness to offer him a new contract. If he signs now there isn’t much in a way of reasoning to offer him a better deal than he is curently on .But if he waits till the end of the season when there’s a good chance Arsenal might finally win a trophy, then the sky is the limit and Mr Wenger might again be the best paid manager in England. Now I know some people think Mr Wenger isn’t interested in money and he would manage Arsenal for free out of pure love for our club. Others still ,begrudge him his lofty pay , citing his lack of trophies as the reason. I’m neither of those people as I believe Mr Wenger’s compensation to be fair for what he has achieved for our club. In fact such is his involvement in all aspect of Arsenal matters, I wouldn’t be surprised if he negotiated his new deal on his behalf against himself. He will simply emerge from a conference room and hand the new contract to the board to sign and that will be that . As for abuse directed at Mr Wenger from some ,shall we say less civilized quarters of the fan base , let me direct you to a cable show called “Real time with Bill Maher” where in a segment called “the new rules” Bill quite succinctly explains this sad phenomenon. Take care and keep up the good work.

Well adding something more, there is a power in the truth. Look at what happened given that the club did not present the situation as is: Black scarf, divide among fans, fans losing their trust in Arsene, in the board, in the owner. But then like it is said here on the site, there is a difference amongst fans and supporters. Agreed. But even then lieing, false hope, was a huge disappointment.
Of what could have happened: Arsenal come clean. Fans accept, and rally behind. More positivety in the stadium. Players under lesser pressure. The process of building a sustainable club, with good wishes from all around.

Having said this, my aunty told me that to have a successful business, you have to be shrewd. So I guess they were spot on there. And since the fans – people are such a big part of the club, this shrewdness did hurt many.
So maybe, this was the only way it could happen, and credit to the manager, board, nd Ivan for playing it right. Arsene, sign sa thing? Yes, please.

I firmly believe that Arsene WILL renew his contract but don’t forget, he is nearing retirement age and after SAF took the plunge, he may be thinking about that option as well:

1)We don’t know what influence his family has on him but it must be an element in his decision.
2)He is 63 years old, and his health, while obviously good, can certainly be at risk as he ages and suffers the stress any EPL manager normally does, plus the added ¨bonus¨ of the AAA, the shite media, the AST , Usmanov and his machinations, the moany plastic fanboys, some difficult players, the negotiations with Kroenke and the Board and so on.
3)If anyone at AFC embodies the qualities of individual loyalty to players,the team and our mission, elegance and character, poise and astuteness, intelligence and wit, caring and compassion, reliability and passion, immense patience and perseverance to name a few of his qualities, it is Arsene….he would NEVER hurt the Club he is named after!
4)I believe he wants to see how we do this season and IF the Board will continue to finance his plans, before he decides IF he wants to continue at AFC. He always has a plan B and C and he,of course knows that he could go ANYWHERE in the world or in the EPL to manage a team….that is why he earns such a bid salary.
5)The players are so loyal to him and consider him as a father figure, and there are few true fathers who walk out on their children willingly,other than for a nice piece of arsenal……?

As far as a petition goes, it might be better to write a UA letter, with some great posts supporting Wenger and hand deliver it to Gazidis or whomever is the right person. There is also an e-mail address for AFC that we could bombard with ¨sign the man¨ e-mails in support of AW?
One way or the other, he has clearly NOT decided to leave us yet and like everything else in this very private man’s life, he isn’t letting anyone know his intentions just yet.

Walter, it is nice to see you so positive. EVEN if The Arsenal are sitting “top of the table” pro tem.

According to the 2012 AST Survey, there were a pathetic 1067 members. The great majority I would suggest, do not agree with the Executive Committee and their public, stated opinions (?).

The Black Scarf Movement has over four times that number of members.

With the upcoming “Statement of Accounts and Annual Report for 2012/2013”, Mr Wenger would not wish his contract talks to overshadow the AGM in October 2013.

The good news is, I suspect, that the Bond Holders “straight jacket” on financial control of The Arsenal, is no more!

Thus, Mr Ivan Gazidis and his “we can afford Wayne Rooney” nonsense”, earlier in the year.

That the Arsenal Board of Directors as a body, has lied to the Arsenal Supporters at any time, is a downright travesty of the truth. Anyone who peddles the lie, has never read the Bondholders Agreement, the Arsenal Financial Reports, Arsenal.com and Untold Arsenal.

Keith Edelman, did indeed understated the Bondholders Accord and overstated the profits from the Property Portfolio. HE, is the only one who can be accused of “gilding the lily”.

Of course, the majority of those who write about The Arsenal and the financial affairs of Arsenal Holdings plc, have little or no expertise! FACT!

Thanks notoverthehill for the info. Keep hearing about bonds and options holding us back more than some have let on. Saw a piece recently by a guy called terry white on online Gooner saying something very similar. So there really was an issue over the Bonds options and even relative mistakes in funding the stadium? Always had the feeling if the whole truth were outed, wenger would be seen by some critics in a much better light. Shame a lot of this stuff is not widespread knowledge

I think when he says he is waiting and that there is plenty of time, this is no more than the truth. I also think he realises that any early extension of his contract would be a diversion and give the boo boys an excuse to start the negative atmosphere again. Remember how angry he was when some newspapers put out lies about him having his contract extended last season.

I think from what he has said that he is convinced the atmosphere in the Emirates needs to improve so that the players feel the support and can give their maximum. He will not do anything to endanger that process.

For these reasons, I don’t think a petition is necessary at this stage and it might even do more harm than good by elevating the issue of his contract this early in the season. Also, if by chance not very many people signed, and you can never tell with petitions, it might look weak rather than strong.

I agree with messages of support and congratulations to Arsene Wenger and the team, whether from individuals or from Untold as a site.

My worry is that Wenger will be approaching 65 next year.
I have never heard or read of him having any interest to not retire.

But, I can’t believe he wouldn’t have a real interest in seeing how this new Arsenal team he has built fares for then next few seasons. Crickey, only a fool or a hater would refuse to see that this team has the genuine potential to kick some serious ass. I actually believe they are better than the 07/08 vintage.

Btw, maybe Arsenal and her millions of fans are not so different from other big clubs after all. If you go onto football365 recently you wil read many comments on how David Moyes is a terrible decision, Fergie stitched them up by appointing a mediocre manager so he can look even better and a few Moyes Out ones too.
And that is after about 4 games, imagine at end of season if they are 4th?

ONE DAY I DECIDED TO QUIT
I quit my job, my relationship, my spirituality… I wanted to quit my life.
I went to the woods to have one last talk with god
“God”, I asked,
“Can you give me one good reason not to quit?”.
His answer surprised me…
“Look around”, He said. “Do you see the fern and the bamboo ?
“Yes”, I replied.
“When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them.
I gave them light.I gave them water.The fern quickly grew from the earth.
Its brilliant green covered the floor.Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo.In the second year the Fern grew more vibrant and plentiful.
And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo. He said.
“In year three there was still nothing from the bamboo seed.But I would not quit.
In year four, again, there was nothing from the bamboo seed. I would not quit.” He said.
“Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth. Compared to the fern it was seemingly small and insignificant…But just 6 months later the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall.
It had spent the five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive.I would not give any of my creations a challenge it could not handle.”
He asked me. “Did you know, my child, that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots”.
“I would not quit on the bamboo.I will never quit on you.”
“Don’t compare yourself to others.” He said.”The bamboo had a different Purpose than the fern.
Yet they both make the forest beautiful.””Your time will come”, God said to me.
“You will rise high”.
“How high should I rise?” I asked.
“How high will the bamboo rise?” He asked in return.
“As high as it can?” I questioned.”Yes.” He said, “Give Me glory by rising as high as you can.”

I left the forest and brought back this story.I hope these words can help you see that God will never give up on
you.Never, Never, Never, Give up.

Don’t tell GOD how big the problem is, tell the problem how Great GOD is!

A minister decided that a visual demonstration would add emphasis to his Sunday sermon.
Four worms were placed into four separate jars.
The first worm was put into a container of alcohol.
The second worm was put into a container of cigarette smoke.
The third worm was put into a container of chocolate syrup..
The fourth worm was put into a container of good clean soil.

At the conclusion of the sermon, the Minister reported the following results:

So the Minister asked the congregation, “What did you learn from this demonstration ?”
Maxine was sitting in the back, quickly raised her hand and said ‘ “As long as you drink, smoke and eat chocolate, you won’t have worms !”

Why does this need a petition?. The club (Wenger) has just signed a 45 million pound player who joined because of Wenger and his vision to create a team to win things over the next few years. Now that the club is prepared to spend some money and compete with the top clubs why would he leave? As far as I know he is on 7 million a year..he can name his price. The perceived criticism highlighted in this article comes from the emotional rantings of the fickle minded who need to be ignored as I am sure does Wenger. The nearest any Arsenal supporter group came to criticising Wenger was the AST who suggested any contract renewal should be carefully monitored. As far as I know the Black Scarf movement have always made it clear it is the board they have taken issue with not Wenger. Stop worrying about Wenger and his future concentrate on the football.

I agree wholeheartedly with the sentiments behind Walter’s article – and Untold has done an admirable job of backing M. Wenger in recent troubled times. But I’m not sure we need a campaign. If he gets to the end of the season and wants to stay it will be because he believes it is in the best interests of the club. He might go upstairs, or step aside or usher in a replacement. I believe that AW has a deep attachment with Arsenal, akin to SAF’s at MUFC and I doubt he would be forced out by a minority of idiots. But if the petition is created, I’d happily sign it

Unbelievably the arsene wenger chant is not sung vigorously by everyone. At sunderland the fans started to chant Arsene Arsene Give. Us. A. Wave of which le proof. Duly obliged
To a loud cheer . Followed by There’s only one arsene. Wenger of which surprisingly only about 60% of the fans sung . This needs to be addressed. First. We need to let him know we are behind him vocally. and let the players know we trust him . People do not relise how much damage
Talk sport the AAA. M.o t.d and some media have done to arsenal . Some fans who are casual will only get there information from the media. And with the vile and premeditated hounding of wenger
This Has changed there view of him . Most people want to be right and if all there information is coming . Through the the witch hunt press the less informed .tend to want to join with there view.

Don’t really care whether he signs or not. Managers come and go, the club remains. Wenger has signed one world class player and we’re top of the league in September and suddenly all is perfect. There’s no denying we’re playing better football than we have for some years and some players have improved fabulously such as Ramsey but we have to see if we can cope with the rigours of a full season with possibly too small a squad though players like Akpom and Gnabry may prove that to be a non issue.

Let’s see where we are in May.

As to this anti Wenger bile, most of it has appeared on blogs and twitter. Don’t think I’ve ever heard anything more vile than “Spend some fucking money” and “You don’t know what you’re doing” shouted at games. I assume that Wenger doesn’t waste time reading blogs and even if he does I suspect he treats such intellectually malnourished comments as “hope you die” and others of such ilk with the total disregard they deserve.

Whatever Wenger chooses to do I wish him all the best. I suspect that he’ll stay for another two years at least because I can’t believe he’d want to shuffle off now he’s got Ozil and a pretty decent core of players to augment the German genius.

@Karl, good post. All true fans want the best for the team, an avalanche of abuse from either side of the argument is an obstacle to reasoned debate.

I note that you have moved you comment position from being a sarcastic (and disgraced) AAA sewer rat to the presently perceived politically correct position for members of the AAA, who wish to comment and criticize, but do not want to risk further disgrace – i.e. to be publicly ambivalent towards the manager.

@Walter

Good article, I certainly hope that Wenger remains with the club for many years. He has achieved fantastic results with a net zero spend for years, despite the refs, despite the antics of Dean the Lesser; now he is starting to have money to spend, lets back him unreservedly.

If you think we need a petition, i’ll sign it, but even though i criticised AW’s tactical decisions in the past, i have always said that he should go upstairs, i don’t think he should ever leave the club, he has done so much to rebuild this club, he is now a part of it. On his tactical decisions, maybe he has learnt but probably he was always tactical, but i just could not see it at the time. His decisions are sometimes hard to understand, until many of them prove him right. So i hope he stays at the club now, in what ever capacity, he is a part of the club now. Maybe the only move he would make is to coach the French team.

Well I too feel that come end of season Wenger will sign at least a couple of years extension…come to think of it…he will one day depart and for someone like me who has not seen Arsenal with any other manager…its a day I dread.

@bjtgooner – your assessment of Rupert and his ilk is bang on! This hopelessly sad category of hyper-critical pseudo-supporters who are waiting for our next set of poor results…before they can bare their ugly fangs!

@Asif, it seems that there will always be people like you who have no interest in debate just slavish support of horrible fascists like bjt gooner, the kind of supporter who Arsenal don’t need or deserve.